A barbican (from fro, barbacane) is a fortified outpost or
fortified gateway, such as at an outer
defense
Defense or defence may refer to:
Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups
* Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare
* Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks
* Defense indus ...
perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes.
Europe
In the Middle Ages, barbicans were typically situated outside the main line of defenses, and were connected to the
city walls
A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
with a walled road called ''the neck''. In the 15th century, with the improvement in
siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characteriz ...
tactics and
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during si ...
, barbicans lost their significance. Barbicans were built well into the 16th century. Fortified or mock-fortified
gatehouse
A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the mo ...
s remained a feature of ambitious French and English residences well into the 17th century. Portuguese medieval fortification nomenclature uses barbican to describe any wall outside of and lower than the main defensive wall that forms a second barrier. The barrier may be complete, extensive or only protect particularly weak areas. The more restrictive term ''gate barbican'' is used for structures protecting gates.
Islamic world
The origin of the English word barbican is thought to be found in either Persian or Arabic (see
here
Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to:
Software
* Here Technologies, a mapping company
* Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here
Television
* Here TV (formerly "here!"), a ...
o
here.
Paul Deschamps
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
(1888–1974) interpreted the Arabic word 'bashura
as used in 13th-century chronicles to mean barbican, a defensive structure placed ahead of a gate, but this has been debunked, 'bashura' denoting rather an entire section of the outer fortifications, which may include a barbican, but also a bastion, gate, tower, or all of those together.
East Asia
Fortifications in
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea ...
also feature similar high structures. In particular, gates in
Chinese city wall
Chinese city walls () refer to defensive systems used to protect towns and cities in China in pre-modern times. In addition to walls, city defenses often included towers and gates.
Meaning of the word ''Chengqiang''
The most specific Chines ...
s were often defended by an additional "archery tower" in front of the main
gatehouse
A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the mo ...
, with the two towers connected by walls extending out from the main fortification. Literally called "
jar walls", they are often referred to as "barbicans" in English.
See also
*
Gatehouse
A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the mo ...
*
Kraków Barbican
*
Warsaw Barbican
*
Saint Laurence Gate, Drogheda
*
Wall of Vilnius
References
*
*
External links
*
*
Barbicanat Location Textures
Barbican, A Fortified Outpost Of Old Town Of Krakow, Polandon DreamSite
Krakow Barbican – The Last Remains of the City’s Medieval Defences on Absolute Tours
Barbicanon
Encyclopædia Britannica
The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various t ...
Castle Barbicanon Medieval Chronicles
on Ancient Fortresses
Barbicans
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